Jo Stafford, R.I.P.

Arts Journal ^ | 07/17/08

[Borges]

Jo Stafford, who died yesterday, is mostly forgotten now, save by those who were young a half-century ago, but back then she was one of the most popular singers in America, a wholesome beauty with a smooth, perfectly produced voice who sold millions and millions of records. Some of them were silly novelties, others bland period ballads, but when she had a good song to sing, nobody sang it better.

Stafford dealt in reassurance, a commodity much appreciated during World War II and in the Age of Anxiety that followed it, which may explain why she is not so nearly well remembered as Frank Sinatra (with whom she sang in Tommy Dorsey's band) or the hotter, sexier canaries of the Fifties. Her tasteful singing was rhythmically fluid without ever sounding self-consciously "jazzy," and her warm mezzo-soprano voice had a maternal quality that eased the troubled heart, though it didn't do much for the critics of the day. "I never made it with the critics," she once told Gene Lees. "I think what the critics didn't like was that it was simply singing."

Stafford went into semi-retirement in 1966. By then most of her records were out of print, and when I wrote a piece for Mirabella in 1994 occasioned by the release of a three-CD box set of her old Columbia recordings, she was very much a figure of the past. That hasn't changed. Most of the collections of her singles that are currently available are junky hit-oriented anthologies that give no sense of what she was like at her best. Fortunately Corinthian, her own label, put out two excellent CDs, Big Band Sound and Jo + Jazz, in which she sings blue-chip standards accompanied by some of the greatest jazz and pop instrumentalists of the Swing Era. Jazz musicians loved Stafford's voice and knew her worth--Lester Young was one of her biggest fans--and were always glad to play for her.

Stafford was only a vague memory of my childhood when a septuagenarian friend of mine played me a Columbia 78 of her version of "Early Autumn" a decade and a half ago. (It's on Big Band Sound, and you can also download it from iTunes.) The record, arranged by her beloved husband Paul Weston, couldn't be simpler. Stafford is accompanied by a clarinet choir and a soft-spoken rhythm section, and she sings Johnny Mercer's haunting lyric in the most direct and unmannered way imaginable:

There's a dance pavilion in the rain All shuttered down A winding country lane All russet brown A frosty window pane Shows me a town grown lonely.

That deceptively uncomplicated-sounding performance hit me with the force of revelation. All at once I knew that good old Jo Stafford was a great artist, and I resolved to spread the word about her artistry in any way I possibly could. A couple of years later I wrote about her in Mirabella, and after that I made a point of mentioning Stafford whenever I had occasion to write about golden-age popular song and its interpreters, but never again did I have occasion to write a full-length piece about her. I wish I had, and I wish I'd sent it to her while she was still alive. Perhaps she would have enjoyed knowing that her quiet, unpretentious art was still giving pleasure long after her fame had faded.

[NewJerseyJoe]

> Jose Ferrer (who kicked ass in “The Caine Mutiny”)

Damn straight. Among many great performances by the other actors, Ferrer's was the best performance in that film.

One of my all-time favorite movies.

[greyfoxx39]

Nostalgia placemark.

[JZelle]

Agree 100%! I think she was much cuter before.

[riverdawg]

“I guess this is showing my age, but I love the old songsters ...”

mrs riverdawg is in her mid-30’s, but she has recently discovered (largely on her own) 40’s big-band music, Ella Fitzgerald, Ruth Brown, most of the Italian crooners from the 50’s, etc. Just one more reason why I love her ...

[Constitutions Grandchild]

Yes, I miss mine, too. I lost my first love — Daddy — far too young. I lost my Mom five years ago. I was with each at the end. Dad, like Mr. Snow, was a musician, in radio/tv with the local NBC affiliate, was loved and died of colon cancer that hit his liver. I went through that loss at 25, and Ms. Stafford's “I'll Be Seeing You” is the song that ran through my head as I kissed him good-bye. Dad played with all the big bands of the time — Glen Grey was his big-time. He was offered a job as his “soloist,” but turned it down as it would have meant moving his mother out to California and she was blind from birth and had her support system here. The guy who took the job was a little known fellow by the name of “Bing Crosby”. I grew up on all the great music of the Greatest Generation and Ms. Stafford was a favorite at our house.

My mom, a bit younger, loved Keeley Smith and Louis Prima, but I saw the stars in her eyes each anniversary when Dad would get his friends in the business together and serenade her with “Night and Day”. I think they had the best marriage on earth.

[WilliamReading]

My favorite Jo Stafford Pied Pipers song was “Whatcha Know Joe?”

Ohhhh Whatcha Know Joe)
I Don’t Know nothin’
(Whatcha Know Joe)
tell me somethin’
(Whatcha Know Joe)
Ain’t connivin’
Just aint jivin’
I don’t know

(Whatcha know Joe)
Well i don’t know Latin
(Whatcha know Joe)
Ain’t high-hattin’
(Whatcha Know Joe)
I aint foolin’
i need schoolin’
i don’t know

i don’t know
mama tried to tell me so
papa wouldn’t let me go
couldn’t even see a movie show

(sooooo whatcha know Joe)
i just cant figure
(whatcha know Joe)
i don’t dig ya
(whatcha know Joe)
hey stop your squakin,
just ant talkin
cuz i don’t know

(whatcha know Joe)
(oobie doobie do)
(Whatcha know Joe)
(oobie doobie do)
(what do you know Joe)

just aint makin it
i don’t know

i don’t know
my mama tried to tell me so
papa wouldn’t let me go
couldn’t even see a movie show

(oobie doobie do)
(whatcha know Joe)
i just cant figure
(whatcha know Joe)
i don’t dig ya
(whatcha know Joe)
quit your squakin,
i ant talkin
cuz i don’t know

[good old days]

So sad to see this news! Jo Stafford is my very favorite singer. Her recordings are out of this world! Such an incredible talent. Rest in peace, dear Jo. Thank you for all of the music.

[good old days]

Here is a video of Jo that I really love:

The Gentleman Is a Dope

[good old days]

Have you seen this video of Jo and Ella with Benny Goodman and Harry James? Amazing!

Jo, Ella, Benny Goodman, and Harry James

[good old days]

I love how she could sing all types of songs (including when she was Darlene Edwards and Cinderella G. Stump). Here she is with Red Ingle singing Tim-Tay-Shun:

Tim-Tay-Shun

[potlatch]

Six years today since my Mom died. I was with her all through and at the end.

A strange thing happened to me today, I hadn’t even thought of it and around 3pm - like a light bulb going on - I remembered this was the day and she died around that time of day!

She and my Dad were love birds and I heard all those old songs while growing up so think of them when I hear those songs.

[potlatch]

I’ve been trying to find ‘Temptation’, not her version, lol.
It’s a beautiful song and I love the words.

[Rastus]

The Pied Pipers’ Dream is so beautiful it almost hurts to listen to it:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=OuXrxpDmC8c

And Jo’s No Other Love does hurt, especially on the day she died:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=WhbdHJyMmyk

[good old days]

I’ve been trying to find ‘Temptation’, not her version, lol. It’s a beautiful song and I love the words.

Here's the original:

Bing Crosby - Temptation

[potlatch]

Thank you so much for that, it was nice of you. I want to also find a .wav or .mp3 music file so I can put it on a CD.

Appreciate it when people do nice things!

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

“Shrimp Boats” and “Shenandoah” still get played regularly at my place.
A great collection of downloadable Jo Stafford recordings are here:

http://hayjd13.tripod.com/JStafford.htm

[Constitutions Grandchild]

Parents married for 27-1/2 years, Mom widowed for 27-1/2 years. Dad died July 6; Mom died July 26. My grandparents went a year a part to the week in February after 63 years. When it’s true love, it works out that way, and somehow, no matter how busy life is, I feel them near me on those days. Something will happen that will trigger a memory, then I remember what day it is and, yup, it’s like clockwork — they’re giving me a nudge to see if I still think of them and love them. They couldn’t be that lucky — they are at the top of my list for heavenly track downs when I get there.

A lot of what I post on threads here on FR is what they taught me, and it still has plenty of good wear left in the advice. ;-)

[potlatch]

[they’re giving me a nudge to see if I still think of them and love them]

Thank you for a very nice post, I certainly agree with you and share your feelings. We never forget.

[Liberty Valance]

Rest in peace Jo. Her "G.I. JO" LP was played a lot around our house as we were growing up. Jo Stafford, Nat King Cole, Sarah Vaughn, Patti Page and the Ames Brothers were a large part of my father's record collection. (He's still got them all) Real melodies, real harmony and real talent. They don't make'em like that anymore.

[King88]

Jo Stafford - so it’s been said - could make grown men cry
with her music. Her ww2 - 1940’s tunes were my favorites
and her marriage and collaboration with Paul Weston backing
up her ballads mede her the best. Great orchestra.
Favorites from GI Joe: Stagedoor Canteen, We Mustn’t Say Goodbye and I’ll Be Seeing You.
Others: If I loved You, Haunted Heart and a duet with Nelson
Eddy “With These hands.”